Case Study - Elbphilharmonie Pavillon

Studio Andreas Heller's design concept: a pavilion whose feel, surface and appearance resemble a musical instrument and which establishes the context for an acoustic model of the new Elbphilharmonie concert hall.

The bottom third of the pavilion is clad with steel panels, while large sheets of glass encase the upper two thirds. An exhibition on the ground floor enables the project to be presented to a broad cross-section of the public. Visitors can find out about the history of the site, the architecture of the new building and its future use through films, exhibits and information panels, while a further section is devoted to musical themes, experiencing music and the programme: classical music, jazz, pop and world music. The first floor can be hired for events. But the real crowd-puller is on the second floor: an acoustic model of the Elbphilharmonie's large auditorium on a scale of 1:10, giving music fans a spatial sense of the architectural concept.

The solution: The architect's creative idea was to build funnel-shaped openings into the façade, enabling visitors to hear and see audio and video clips from outside the building. ASC chose appropriate equipment and installed loudspeakers and display screens, weatherproofing them so that they would be resistant to the temperature swings and corrosion to be expected in the pavilion's waterfront setting. In this way, visitors' senses are stimulated visually and aurally before they even enter the pavilion. The system operates 24 hours a day and runs without additional staffing. In the event of a disruption, such as after a power cut, the system restarts automatically.